


Empathy

by Straccia_Tella



Category: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy IV
Genre: Also his crush for Rydia is showing, Edge is pining heavily, Edge needs a shoulder to lean on, F/M, Fluff, Rydia lends Edge an ear, takes place after the tower of Fabul, two people comforting each other over the lost of loved ones
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2016-09-09
Packaged: 2018-08-14 00:37:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7992139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Straccia_Tella/pseuds/Straccia_Tella
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Edge still can't get over his parents deaths, but there's someone on board who's willing to listen to his lamentations.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Empathy

Two full moons were shining brilliantly, and the stars danced around them like curtains. Below all of this brilliance, an airship cruised languidly across the air.  
The prince of Elban marched back and forth across the deck of their new ship Falcon with a perpetual frown crossing his face, his arms swaying to the rhythm of his pacing feet. Images of his parents flashed in his consciousness and he gnashed his teeth together, hidden beneath the cloth that covered his mouth. Bitterness and anger crossed his face as he was forced to remember his parents transforming into chimera, and watching them commit suicide in order to protect Edge and his friends. Even when he gained new powers because of his outburst of rage, it didn’t bring back his parents.  
Even after defeating Rubicante, the boiling, twisting anger in his heart didn’t go away. He wanted take his frustrations out on something, but he knew he couldn’t. In the end, he didn’t accomplish anything, and he was a failure not only to his kingdom but also to his family. Edge snarled aloud and slammed his fist onto the mast, feeling his nails dig into his palm.  
“If you keep stomping around like that, you’ll be liable to break something.”  
The prince turned around to see the dark mage Rydia in her emerald robes that matched her hair, she was looking at Edge with concern in her eyes. Had he been in a better mood, he wouldn’t have hesitated in complimenting the woman’s beauty or shamelessly flirting with her… but his anger soured the mood.  
“Why are you here?” he asked, his voice was still irritated but it softened in her presence.  
She placed her hands on her hips, staring the prince down. “I’m here to make sure you don’t do anything rash, the others down below are worried about you.”  
Edge gave out a small “hmph” and crossed his arms. He heard Rydia take a few steps towards him.  
“Edge, are you well?”  
“I’m fine.”  
“No you’re not. You’ve been wearing that face ever since we were thrown out of that tower.”  
“What does it matter to you?” He turned angrily as he spat those words out.

 It came out harshly, but the mage neither faltered nor flinched.  
“I’m your friend, Edge and I wish to help,” Rydia replied, standing so close to the prince he could have easily outstretched his hand and caressed her cheek. “If something is on your mind, say it now. Bottled up emotions becomes a catalyst for catastrophe to those around you.”  
Edge glanced at Rydia, her tone worried him, because she wouldn’t sound that way if she hadn’t experienced something excruciating in her past. Now that he thought further on it, he hardly knew a thing about her. He knew that she was a dark mage and a powerful summoner, after that she might as well have been a passing stranger despite his evident attraction to her.  
“What am I supposed to say?” he demanded. “What would you have me confess, my life story?”  
“Whatever you’ve been feeling since that fight,” the mage stated standing her ground. “What happened back there is something no one should have ever witnessed, and I want to know how you’re feeling.”  
“Nothing,” he lied. “Nothing’s wrong.”  
“Yes, there is,” she frowned, but relaxed her posture “Edge, please talk to me.”  
“You wouldn’t know.”  
“I won’t if you continue to be stubborn about it.”  
Edge sighed as he gave in. He rubbed his hand behind his head and looked straight into her eyes. He thought he could see the light of the stars reflected in those enchanting amber spheres which were becoming a bit of a distraction.  
“I’ve avenged my parents by killing Rubicante, that’s all that was on my mind.”  
“No it wasn’t,” Rydia shook her head so that her hair floated momentarily in the air before settling back on her shoulders. “You’re looking for someone to blame for your parents death, trying to forget the pain it caused by placing that anger and hatred onto someone else.”  
Edge frowned. Could this woman have possibly dealt with more than he thought? It prompted him to ask questions of his own.

“Have you been through something like this before?”  
Rydia pursed her lips and her eyes started to shift nervously.

After a moment of silence, she answered.

“I’ll tell you on one condition, say what’s been bothering you, and no lies.”  
He obliged, it was more than a fair trade. As he stared up at the night sky, affixed to the stars that littered the dark abyss like jewels he began to speak, letting the heavy thoughts and resentment be washed away with his words.  
“… I couldn’t save them, even when they were right in front of me. Their only salvation was through their own deaths, something I should have been able to prevent. I hated that I was so weak, and the only way I could express that was through killing Rubicante. My rage awakened new powers within me, but it didn’t change anything. It didn’t bring my parents back, and it never will no matter how much I wish for it. All I can do now is mourn in their memory and bring this blasted battle to an end.” Edge looked at the mage who was patiently listening. “That’s all, I swear.”  
She looked into his eyes to assess his words before nodding.  
“If you don’t wish to speak of your past, that’s alright.” The prince quickly added. “I don’t want you to bring up something too painful.”  
Rydia shook her head, “No, I made the deal and I’ll fulfill my end of it since you weren’t lying.”  
The mage looked to the clouds that passed the Falcon.  
“It was a normal day for me, I was playing with Whit when I saw my mother in pain. She was guarding our village from something, I didn’t know from whom or what and she just… collapsed. I ran over to check on her, but she didn’t stir no matter how many times I cried out. That’s when I heard a distant roar of a dragon, her Eidolon had been slain.” Rydia gently held herself, inhaling before continuing with her story. “Suddenly, the village was engulfed in flames, but I was too overcome with grief to realize at the time. I continued to wail for my mother, begging and praying that she wasn’t dead. That’s when I met Cecil and his friend.  
“He was shocked to know the very dragon that he killed was connected to my deceased mother. Kain was only too ready to kill me, but Cecil shielded me. He wanted me to live. He tried to escort me out, but I refused to go with the people who inadvertently murdered my mother.

I ran. I hated them, I hated knowing that I was alone, I wanted them dead. I don’t remember what happened after that, but I was in Caipo when I finally awoke. Obviously, I had reasons to not trust Cecil, but he protected me again when the Baron soldiers came. He could have given me over or left me to die to save himself.”  
The prince watched as her shoulders slumped, he was now worried that he may have been wrong in having her divulge her past. As if sensing this, Rydia looked up into his eyes, which she had been avoiding since the beginning of her story.  
“That’s why I could understand your pain, Edge. I know what loosing somebody is like. It’s not just my mother, I saw many other good people leave my life, and it was just as painful. I needed you to know that keeping that sadness and anger inside you wouldn’t do any good. It won’t make you stronger, all it does is create a bitter hole that won’t be fixed if you leave it be. I’m not asking you to forgive or forget what happened, but you can’t keep suppressing these things forever. You should turn that bitterness into something better, something that will give you the power protect those you care about.”  
The two stood silently, staring at each other as the night air passed over them. Rydia was the first to break this silence.  
“I’m going to head below deck now. Don’t stay up here for too long.”  
He watched her turn back and began to walk away; he stretched his hand out without thinking, “Rydia!”  
She turned around with an expectant and curious look on her face.  
“… Thank you, for talking to me.”  
Rydia gave a small smile and nodded, “You’re welcome Edge, good night.”  
Finally the mage disappeared and the prince leaned on the railing of the ship, quietly thinking of their conversation. He felt better now that he had talked to someone about his problems and wished Rydia stayed with him a while longer. The thought came as a surprise and he chuckled in amusement, staring at the two moons in the sky.


End file.
